Through the Rain
by cool-kitsune
Summary: A Valentine's Day Gift to y'all. An AuronxBraska. {It's Braska's birthday... what would Auron give him?)


Through the Rain 

Author's Notes: EI EVERYBODY! COOL_K'S IN TOWN AND IS GONNA SHOW YA'LL HER NEW FIC, "Through the Rain"! Well basically it's an Auron and Braska ficlette and it contains a little slash. It's only umm… mild ya know. Or so I think… Well… enjoy and review!!!

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own anything at all. I dunno. And yeah, if you didn't read it, there's gonna be YAOI in this here story of mine. Oh yeah… beware of OOCs… I hate myself because I make them OOC…

~*~*~*~

_"I'm sorry if I didn't get you anything, Braska… I promise, someday I will. It's just that, I'm a little short on Gil." A young boy with black hair told his friend. _

_"It's really okay, Auron. It's good enough for me that you're here every time my birthday comes. My father left on some mission and I'm all alone. So… I guess you're here to keep me company. I guess it's the gift you have for me." Braska told his little friend._

_"Whatever you say. But I still feel guilty. Every time my birthday comes, you give me something special. But now that it's your birthday, I don't have anything to give at all." Auron told him, while looking on the cold floor of their bedroom. _

_"It's really okay, Auron. Don't worry."_

~*~*~*~

Auron woke up in his small home one morning. It was drizzling slightly outside and something was bothering him. He looked at the calendar on the table and almost smacked himself when he realized what day it was today. "Braska's birthday." And probably for the twentieth time in their whole friendship, Auron didn't have a gift for his good friend. 

"I have to give him something today. It's been… 20 years since I last gave him a birthday present. But what do I give him. I don't have that much Gil today…" He stood up, got dressed and thought about Braska's likes and dislikes. 

"Damn." He said as he realized another event that day. It was the warrior-monks' training day. He'd be there the whole day. "I guess I wouldn't be able to give him a gift after all." But he shook his head and frowned. "I'm going to give him a gift and that's final!" 

A few minutes later, he got out of the house and realized he still had time to get Braska something. He didn't mind the slight drizzle… it's because he was in a hurry. He felt his pocket for Gil that he could spend on Braska's gift. "Oh, dammit… Of all days to be short on Gil… Yevon had to pick this one…" 

He then heard the 3rd bell of the morning. It reminded him that he had to get to the temple at the 10th bell. He sighed. "I've got about thirty minutes left. Maybe that'll be enough." 

He looked around the stores, while getting greetings from people in the stores. "Good morning, Sir Auron… I heard it's Braska's birthday today. So I bet you'll be getting him a present, huh?" The storekeeper asked him. 

"Yeah. And I've got little time on that… What have you got for 3000 gil?" 

"Some rare medicinal potions and a sphere…" 

"A sphere? I thought a sphere was at least 5000 Gil?" Auron asked.

"Yes… but this sphere could keep about only half of the normal spheres…" 

Auron was about to answer when he suddenly heard the 9th bell of the morning… "Oh shit. Sorry. I have to go. We have a training day today. I guess I'll be back later…" 

"Just make sure you're here before the 10th bell in the evening!!" The storekeeper told Auron as the young warrior-monk got out of the store.

"10th bell of the evening… I doubt I'll be able to get back here at that time…" Auron murmured as he rushed towards the temple.

When he got into the temple it was exactly the 10th bell of the morning. "Good morning, chief!" One of the warrior-monks told him.

"Morning…" Auron grumbled… He didn't want to put "good" into his morning… because it really it wasn't one. He was soaking wet and he hadn't even bought Braska a gift.

"So, how come you're quite late today, chief? You overslept?" 

Auron just gave the warrior-monk a menacing glare as he got to his position. 

Kinoc looked worriedly at his friend. "Hey, Auron. What happened? You were almost late." 

"Kinoc… it's Braska's birthday today… I tried to get him a gift… but I had little time…" Auron replied.

"Oh yes. I see. Well, did you see Braska this morning? He was a little down… Though I don't know why." Kinoc whispered.

"I really have to get him the present now… But of all days to be short of Gil… why this one?" 

~*~*~*~

Braska looked out his window as he saw the warrior-monks exit the temple. He saw Auron walk out with Kinoc… Auron didn't look that good. "Auron… I'm worried… You don't have to get me a gift… It's alright with me… But… I wish you'll be here to have dinner with us tonight…"

"Daddy… is Uncle Auron gonna join us tonight? Mommy is asking if she should make an extra batch of roast…" Little seven-year old Yuna asked her father.

"Yes… He'll be here…" Braska told his daughter. 'I hope…' He thought. 'He might get sick because of the rain today…'

"Okay!" Yuna ran towards the kitchen and told her mother that Auron was going to join them for dinner. 

~*~*~*~

Auron trudged on with the other warrior-monks. He didn't feel that good… his head was aching… so was his body… He sneezed and Kinoc asked him, "Are you okay?" And he just nodded.

They got to their training spot and all of them picked a partner to spar with. Auron just looked around at all of them. He really didn't feel like sparring today… He felt the cold rain drops fall on his aching head as Kinoc approached him.

"You sure you're alright?" Kinoc asked again. 

"Yes. I told you I am." 

"No you didn't. You just nodded." Kinoc told him with a grin.

"Shut up, Kinoc." Auron said quietly… but the annoyance was clear in his voice.

"Well, if you're that alright, you'll spar with me!" Kinoc said proudly and bravely. "If I beat you, people will recognize me! Hehe!" 

"I really don't feel like sparring today, Kinoc… Other than that… we spar everyday. And…" 

"Yeah, yeah. I lose every time… But hey! Give me a chance today! Or are you too scared?" 

"Fine, fine…" Auron got his katana and got into a battle position. 

"That's good! Anyway, if you don't want to spar, how come they called this day 'training-day'?" 

"I don't know… I'm not the guy who made this day anyway." 

"A day of training is nothing without you, our so-called 'commander or chief'…" Kinoc told his friend. 

"Is that a compliment?" 

"Probably…"

~*~*~*~

And again for the nth time… Kinoc got his ass kicked… At lunch, everyone rounded up and sat in a circle. It was still raining… but no one seemed to mind it except for Auron. "Damn… still raining." He said in a tired voice.

"You look tired, Auron. We still have 6 or 7 hours of training…" Kinoc said as he ate his food.

"I know…" Auron said sleepily.

"Well, you could always rest for a while… But we all have to use this day for training… This comes only once a month." 

"I know…" _Argh. Don't fall asleep idiot!_

"And also… you're the commander. You have to tell us what to do!"

"I know…" _Hang in there! You could do it!_

"And you know that our job is to protect people right? We have to train in order to be stronger!"

"I know…" Auron said as his eyes finally closed. 

"And you know, you might have a chance to marry the High Priest's daughter! That'd promote you to the highest rank of a warrior-monk!"

"I know…" He said, half-asleep. But what Kinoc said… "WHAT?!" Auron said as he instantly woke up. 

Kinoc grinned. "I knew that would wake you. I heard she's got the hots for you, Auron!! You're a lucky man!"

"Lucky, huh?" Auron said with a sigh. He loved someone else… But never could he tell that person his feelings…

~*~*~*~

The training session ended a mere seven hours later. And of course… Auron's condition just got worse. "Hey, Auron. You going home?" Kinoc asked.

"No. I have to meet Braska. I promised him that I'm going to have dinner at his house." Auron replied.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then." 

"Yeah." Auron said as he sneezed yet again for the nth time for the day. He almost forgot that he was going to get Braska a gift at the shop. "Oh damn… I hope they're not closed yet…" 

He hurriedly ran towards the store where he planned to but Braska a gift. He almost yelled his heart out as he realized the 10th bell of the evening had sounded just a little while ago. 

"Please! Open up! It's me, Auron!" Auron said as he knocked on the door. 

After a few minutes of knocking, he heard someone unlock the door. "Oh, Sir Auron! I was expecting you'd come… but I just closed the store… anyway… I'd just get you the gift you wanted…" 

"I'd just take the sphere…" 

"Oh, okay!" The old storekeeper went inside the store and got the sphere Auron had wanted. "Here you go… I suggest you get some sleep as soon as possible… You don't look so good." 

"Thanks for your concern… And here's the payment." Auron said as he handed the old man 3000 Gil. "Thanks for opening the store again." 

"Anytime, Sir Auron. It is my pleasure…" 

~*~*~*~

After about 30 minutes, Auron got to Braska's house, soaking wet and his face red because of the fever he was having. "Braska. I'm here…" He said weakly.

"Auron! I've been waiting!" Braska said happily as he got to Auron. His eyes then widened at the sight before him. "Auron! What happened? You're sick!" He caught his best friend as he collapsed in his arms. 

"Happy birthday, Braska." Auron said as he dropped the sphere on Braska's free hand. 

Braska almost fell to tears as he saw the simple gift in his hand. "You didn't have to, Auron… Now look what happened! You're sick because of this!" 

"It's alright… I promised you… I'll give you something right?" Auron said as he closed his eyes.

"Auron…" Braska said as his friend slept in his arms. He played the sphere…

_~*~*~*~_

_"Hi, Braska. It's me. I know you know that." Auron paused and sneezed. "I'm not feeling that well… But please don't worry about me." _

_Another pause. "Well, I just wanted to say Happy Birthday…" Auron said. "Actually… a bit more than that…" _

_"I'm sorry if I just got you this gift after such a long time… I'm sorry if this is the only gift I can give you… but maybe someday… I could give you something better." _

_"I know you're going to ask me something about the training session a while ago… Nothing much happened… It was a bit tiring… people wanted to spar with me as if there was no tomorrow…"_

_"Anyway… I wanted to thank you for being my friend all these years and even after all the mistakes I made… and I all the things I did…" Auron breathed in deeply. "Do you know that you're simple smile means so much to me? It gives me energy when I feel weak. And it makes me happy when I'm down."_

_Auron smiled. "You really are a special person, Braska. And I wish that there'll be no time wherein we get separated because… you're my best friend… and I hope you find me as a special person in your life too." _

_"I know what I just said was out of character… But that's just something I wanted to say for a long time… You're someone really special to me, Braska… You're… my best friend… and I…"  _

_He closed his eyes and sighed. "'I don't know how to say this… But Braska… you are… I am… I… I…I-" _

~*~*~*~  
  


It was then the sphere ended. But Braska knew Auron was about to say something very important to him. 

"Auron… I…" Braska hugged his best friend tightly as the tears flowed down his face. "I love you too, my friend."

Auron just smiled as he heard Braska say that… even in his sleep… he heard Braska say those precious words. "Happy birthday…"

"Auron…"

~*~*~*~

Hehe! That's a Valentine's Day Gift to all of you people! I loved this fic that I think I'm gonna print it! 

Okay! Please do not hesitate to tell me your opinions through a review… and it'll be thoroughly appreciated.


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